


Sleepers and Doubles

by theOCqueen



Series: Legacy Order [1]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Follows TFA, Force Ghosts, Force Specialties, Just made that up, Redeemed Hux, Then gets weird, You've been warned, like a lot of them
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-01
Updated: 2020-04-18
Packaged: 2021-02-28 07:15:02
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,346
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22966018
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/theOCqueen/pseuds/theOCqueen
Summary: Luke Skywalker has vanished. In his absence, the sinister FIRST ORDER has risen from the ashes of the empire and will not rest Skywalker, the last Jedi, has been destroyed.With the support of the REPUBLIC, General Organa leads a brave RESISTANCE. She is desperate to find her brother Luke and gain his help in restoring peace and justice to the galaxy. Leia has sent her most daring pilot (and a close second) on a secret mission to Jakku where an old ally has discovered a clue to Luke's whereabouts...(The Force Awakens but with a twist. And that twist is: what if the Force never went to sleep? What if the Jedi never left? And what if the Supreme Leader's Apprentice isn't the only one wearing a mask?)OR...a secret underground Jedi school's alumni finally take their place to help finish this war, but not all of those places are very "GOOD" ones.
Relationships: Ben Solo | Kylo Ren/Original Female Character(s), Finn/Rose Tico, Leia Organa/Han Solo
Series: Legacy Order [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1650454





	1. Somewhere in the Darkness

**Author's Note:**

> Welcome! Heed my author name: I like my OC's and there's a few of 'em in here. I have added them for the sole purpose of expanding on and exploring the character development of the main characters, so if they're there, it's for a reason. 
> 
> This is my sort of fix-it fic for, quite honestly, Rise of Skywalker, but we gotta start at the beginning so. There was just so much that I picked up throughout the monologues that never got played with or explored further! And Fanfiction flies in to the rescue, so I can explore further! 
> 
> Here we GOOO.

_Love by its very nature is fragile, and that’s what makes true love so powerful, you make a fragile thing strong. – Atticus_

* * *

Armitage Hux decided that Kei would be his wife when he was 24 years old. She was 19, and they had been engaged for three years. Those first three years had been forced meetings every few months and the occasional letter.

It wasn’t that Hux hadn’t liked her or found her attractive. It wasn’t even that he didn’t want to get married – he liked the idea of a partner. A wife. A family.

But first and foremost was his career, and Kylo Ren was rising in the Supreme Leader’s ranks, and so he had to as well: that had been his focus since he was sixteen and finding out he’d been approved as a suitable match for the daughter of the only senator in alliance with the First Order at 21 was exciting, but not a priority.

And so, the semi-annual visits and occasional letter had sufficed.

Then his parents died.

And Kei had been the last thing on his mind.

He made the proper arrangements and on the day of, prepared for the ceremony in a numb state.

It was to be a grand affair, to be attended by many.

And he had never felt so alone.

Kei arrived the morning of the ceremony hours before it was suitable for guests to begin arriving, and she showed herself in. She found him half-dressed and seated in a chair, staring blankly at a portrait of his parents. She knelt at his side and grasped his hand with hers, a silent comfort, yet a near stranger. A young woman sat before him, where he remembered a mere girl, dressed fashionably in mourning colors, complementing him perfectly.

The many guests who would arrive would later comment on the beautiful couple, their regal bearing, the surety that they were staring at the next big political power couple.

Hux would recall from that entire day only the way she stood beside him. She never left him. And as distant as he’d been before, lacking in communication and commitment, he made his decision.

This one. This one for him.

Her only request was that they wait to be wed until the war had been all but won.

And so, the work became about more than just usurping Kylo Ren. Now? Now it was about her.

And so, when he received the letter from her Mother, requesting he take responsibility for his future spouse and keep her in his company, there was no hesitation in his agreement. Especially not when he read her postscript.

_Mother has grown tired of my company, as you can see. I have decided I shall hardly miss her. You, on the other hand, I have missed since our last farewell. Perhaps there is a spare room for me on that big ship of yours? I promise only to bother you every other moment. - KI_

His reply was simple.

_Come at once. I eagerly anticipate our reunion. -AH_

And he very intentionally did not inform Ren of this new development.

* * *

Kylo strode into the room, gaze darting around for the General so he could berate him: about what he'd not yet decided, but he was certain he could think of something – only to find Hux ignoring Kylo entirely and shooting a warning glance towards the impeccably dressed woman at his side.

She looked woefully out of place, her dark hair styled into long loose curls that cascaded down her back, her gown a shimmering moss green with a neckline that plunged into a low v that only just maintained its modesty. Tanned, toned arms remained bare except for the smallest of cap sleeves, a gold band cinching her waist and ornate patterns decorating her hem. A thin gold band wrapped around her left bicep. The woman had one hand curled into the crook of Hux’s elbow, and he covered her hand with his gloved one, keeping her tucked closely into his side.

Kylo ripped his gaze from the woman, a task more difficult than he’d anticipated, to Hux.

Well at least he didn’t have to make up a reason to berate the general now. This would do nicely.

“Who is she?” He ordered. Hux’s jaw tightened.

“May I introduce Kei Ibone,” Kylo knew the name – it was one of their plants within the New Republic - a politician’s daughter.

“My intended.” Hux continued, and Kylo nearly missed it.

That addition was a surprise, but his hold on the woman was intimate – familiar.

“Intended…intended what? Victim?” He snapped.

Hux leveled a glare his way but the woman – the “Intended” – dropped her chin to try and hide the smile on her face.

“She will soon be my wife,” He corrected.

“Once the war is finished and if Armi will still have me,” She said smoothly, her voice richer than he’d anticipated.

He’d expected – shrill. Annoying.

“Which will be soon if tales of your competency are to be believed,” She added with an arched eyebrow.

“And do you?” He checked.

She tilted her head, mouth pursed in confusion.

“Are you a believer in our competency?”

“Armi is nothing if not efficient, and your authority is widely known.” She said diplomatically, ever the politicians daughter. “Having yet to see either of you in action personally, I can’t say much beyond that.”

“Well then it’s a good thing you’ve arrived.” He said curtly. “To witness our capabilities for yourself.” He turned, dismissing her, and Hux took the hint, whispering harshly before ordering a guard detail be prepared for her.

“Yes General.” And half a dozen footsteps later, the woman and her guard detail were gone.

Hux moved to stand beside him. Kylo was quiet for only a moment.

“Armi?” He finally queried, and Kylo heard the general’s teeth grind together.

“We have been bonded for years. As lax as she is,” Hux paused to take a deep breath, “calling me that in public, those closest to me refer to me by my actual name. As it is for most people." And his final remark was pointed, but Kylo ignored it.

“She gets in the way, she’s gone.”

“You bark like that is an order you have the authority to give,” Hux sniffed derisively – and then he was gone.

Kylo rolled his eyes, then turned back to the task at hand.

The final piece of the map.

They were close.

* * *

Hux raised his fist to knock sharply on the door and it opened of its own accord.

Kei stood before him with a wry smile.

“Armi,” She greeted.

She moved out of the way so he could enter and shut the door firmly once he’d made his way inside. As soon as the door was closed and they were alone he moved to press a kiss against her cheek and she raised her face to him, smile fond.

“Darling,” He said, his tone full of warning.

“I’m sorry,” She huffed, moving to sit on the couch. He followed, still miffed. “I forget to use your title in public. I was just so overcome by seeing you again.” She paused, considering him. “I know you don’t want me here,” She added, her voice more serious, expression solemn. He reached out to grasp one of her hands.

“It is not that I don’t want to see you,” He corrected. He raised her hand to press a kiss against the back of her palm. “Because you are a vision, of course I do. But this is not a vacation, this is the work. And I can’t allow you to be a priority here.”

“And I shouldn’t be,” She agreed immediately. “Had Mother not gotten so impatient I would have stayed put, waited forever,” She promised. “I hardly want to wait further, let alone forever,” He shook his head.

“Darling, we are making moves. We are close. I would have you as my wife, sooner rather than later. But that means there is so much to be done. I would not have the supreme leader label you a distraction –“

“If I am you can send me back to my mother,” She interjected. “I will stay out of your way.”

“Never,” He corrected. And then he paused. “But Ren –“

“The man with the helmet?” she checked, and Hux smirked. “He is not so bad, from what I saw.”

“You saw him at his best,” Hux said dryly. “He’s irrational, impatient, and a general nuisance. Stay out of his way, and all will be well.” He squeezed both of her hands. “Have dinner with me?” She smiled, the slow, wide one he liked best.

“Gladly.”

* * *

Kylo saw no reason to ever interact with the soon to be Mrs. General Hux, and Hux did his part for the cause by keeping her either occupied elsewhere or detained in his own quarters.

And then.

One late evening when everyone else was asleep and he was pacing the ship, he found her in the command bay.

Alone, staring out the window, at nothing. She wore night clothes, a long robe made for fashion over warmth, and clinging to curves so closely that even though the hem dragged on the floor – it was quite indecent.

And there was no guard detail, no Hux in sight.

He stepped over the threshold of the room, and she – she didn’t startle from a noise, for he’d made none. It was simply as if she sensed someone had entered. And when she glanced over and saw that it was him, she didn’t seem surprised. Not even at the fact that he wasn’t wearing his helmet. She smiled ruefully at him.

“I’m not supposed to be in here,” She admitted, and he quirked a brow.

“No,” He agreed lightly. “So why are you?”

“Mm.” She turned her gaze towards the window. “Same as everyone else – trying to figure out what I’m doing here.”

Kylo – once he’d realized Hux’s betrothed wasn’t going anywhere, had gleaned insight. From the records, Kei Ibone was the daughter of a New Republic Governor, raised in luxury and politics before being sent to finishing school. At the completion of that schooling she was betrothed to Hux. She has been at her mother’s beck and call, until recently. Apparently the General had grown tired of her own child and handed her over to her future son-in-law. And thus Kylo was stuck with her. Kylo had brought it up bitterly to the Supreme Leader, who saw it less as distraction and more as incentive. Which was true…for Hux.

But there was something about Hux’s betrothed that made Kylo wary. And if the Supreme Leader could see her now, he would not say that she wasn’t a distraction.

“You don’t know?” He checked.

“Well of course I do!” She chuckled lightly. “But I am,” She paused. “Torn. Between the duty to my family and the spirit within me.” She shook her head. “Here I have no real purpose.” Something in Kylo clenched at her words. “And yet – there is something within me that says – there is more to do. But what?” She squinted out the window. And then she sighed. “I apologize. My matters are trivial. I am here because my Mother has deemed it time Armi take responsibility for me.” She smiled. “Poor Armi.”

“Do you love him?” Kylo couldn’t stop his lip from curling at the word LOVE, and she pursed her mouth playfully.

“You say love as if it is an infectious disease,” Her tone was teasing.

“Love is weakness,” He said.

“It most certainly is,” She agreed. “It can be strength, I suppose, but at the end of the day, it is weakness. It is fragility and vulnerability and connection, and all of those things separately are terrifying.” She shook her head.

“Do I love him? In a way, I suppose. Not in an earth-shattering way, nothing that makes me fearful, or uncomfortable. So maybe it is not love at all.” She glanced at him. “Have you loved?” She asked.

The question was jarring.

“No,” He said. “Not in the way you’re thinking.” She hummed and turned back to the window. “If you do not love him, why are you here?”

“Because if my family has taught me anything, it is loyalty. It was requested I be here, so here I am, where I languish in luxury, to be seen and not heard, as is my duty.”

“And what a lovely sight you are,” He said after a pause, and the look she shot him was shy, eyes wide in surprise. The look morphed into a warm smile, which then turned into something more composed.

“Well. A plain wife would not suit a General’s needs,” She reasoned. She shivered slightly, arms tightening around herself, and turned to him. Kylo, for what little he’d said, felt exposed under her dark gaze. “I apologize,” She said with an inclined head. “I’ve kept you. I shall leave you to your evening.”

“I’ll escort you back to your quarters,” He said decidedly, holding out his arm. He intended for her to rest her hand at his elbow. Instead she clasped his hand.

Kylo maintained his composure for the journey from command to quarters, nodding slightly as she left him. And then he glanced down at the hand she’d grasped. He flexed his fingers, then curled his hand into a fist.

The force…

Hux’s betrothed was near to bursting with it, and it seemed she had no idea.

This would not do.


	2. A sliver of light overtaken by darkness

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Poe and BB-8 bring a plus one, Something's different about this raid, and Kylo is really good at dragging someone else's fiance around with him.

_A happy soul is the best shield for a cruel world. – Atticus_

* * *

Poe joined the New Republic’s Defense Fleet when he was 18, two days after his mother died. 

She didn’t know about the Spice trading – she just thought he worked as a delivery boy.

Delivery wouldn’t have paid for her medicine. But then she was gone and, in that absence, being smothered by the grief – he knew he couldn’t stay in the trade. 

He had to live a life that would make his mother proud. 

So he started with the Defense Fleet.

It had made sense at the time; join the government sanctioned fighters, do things the legal way (for a change) – and Poe…had hated it.

Other than the General’s pesky teenage daughter annoying him night and day, whom he took under his wing and taught to fight and fix things…nothing else happened.

The Defense Fleet was useless.

And he stayed for five years…but finally he could take it no longer.

And so at 25, he left to join the Resistance.

Of course there was General Leia.

Leia made time for him and kept him from being completely reckless and she was motherly in a way that reminded him of his own mom and a mentor that knew how to deal with his particular brand of stubborn – because it was so similar to her own.

The Resistance gave him purpose. It also gave him family.

Another recruit who joined right around the same time as Poe was Kwyn. They both joined on as pilots and quickly became fast friends.

Kwyn Arkk was 21, and when he moved without thought, he was a great asset. If one gave him time to think, he hesitated, tripped, and made things more complicated then they needed to be.

Before he knew it, Poe and Kwynn were partners in crime, commanders of their own divisions, and best friends.

So when the lead on the map to Skywalker came in, where Poe might’ve, in a different time, gone alone, that’s not how it went down.

* * *

“So remind me the gameplan?” Poe rotated his neck and shot Kwyn a look. The tall lean man seated in the co-pilot’s seat turned and grinned brightly at him, the picture of dumb innocence, dark brown eyes gleaming.

“You’re staying with the ship and keeping watch while I talk with the old man.” 

“Okay, but you’re bringing BB-8 with you? That’s messed up – what can he do that I can’t?” 

“Be silent?” He said dryly, and Kwyn scoffed, rubbing the top of his head, the short tuft of hair barely bothered by his rough ministrations.

“And what am I supposed to do if the uglies show up? Play dead?” 

“Warning shot,” Poe said blithely. “If I can’t find an escape route, I’ll put the piece with BB-8, and you just lay low until you can retrieve him.” 

“Again with BB-8! You know, I think you love him more than me.” 

“Well I definitely do so,” Poe grinned at his friend and Kwyn grinned back as they landed the ship. 

“Be safe, man. If you get captured I’ll call my inside man and get you out, but that’s so much work,” Kwyn groaned, even as he continued to smile.

And that was the thing about Kwyn. He was always smiling. 

“Right, don’t get captured, got it. Fire that warning shot and hide, and you won’t have to come and rescue me.” 

“Please, I won’t rescue you personally, my job is to get BB out. I like him better anyways.” 

BB beeped, and Poe grinned.

_Very fond, returned affection._

“He thinks you’re okay,” Poe said as he moved towards the doors. “See you on the other side.” 

Kwyn pulled him into a tight hug – the guy was a hugger, and Poe and BB-8 embarked. 

This mission had to succeed.

* * *

As they landed to begin their raid, Hux and the crew heard a single shot fired.

A warning shot. Hux cursed and ordered his men to move quickly, and Kylo watched stoically, waiting for the majority of the fighting to cease.

The overly dramatic idiot always waited for the largest audience before making his move.

“Sir, Lady Kei is requesting some sort of audience,” one of his officers spoke up, and Hux shot her a look.

“No,” He snapped, but Kylo overrode him.

“Let her see,” He said blithely. “This is more entertaining than staring at the wall. Or do you expect her to sit in solitude her entire visit?” 

Hux wished Kylo would take off his damn mask, so he could read something in the man’s face that would explain why the hell the commander thought he could comment on Hux’s fiancé. 

“No sane person would consider the witness of a raid proper entertainment for a lady.” Hux felt more than saw the half dozen women currently in the command center shoot him a look. 

“Oh how lovely,” Kei appeared at his side, dressed in a dark green gown, smiling slightly, eyes bright. “A raid.” 

Hux inhaled sharply through his nose. “You are a nuisance,” He complained.

“How else am I to keep you on your toes?” She squeezed his bicep, leaning slightly against him. “Commander,” She greeted. “Is this raid a general resistance sweep, or are we looking for something?” 

“What do you think?” Kylo asked, Kei tilted her head.

“We’re looking for something,” She said after a moment. “There’s this feeling of – perhaps urgency, but mostly…anticipation.” 

Hux blinked and glanced down at his fiancé. What was happening? 

“We’re looking for the last piece of a map that will lead us to Skywalker.” 

Her head jerked as she snapped her full attention onto Ren. “Luke Skywalker? He’s…” She paused. “He exists? I thought,” 

“He is real.” Kylo moved a few steps closer. “He is alive. And we are one missing piece away from finding him.” 

“Well I now understand the anticipation. And the urgency.” 

“Sir,” Hux ripped his gaze away from the interaction between Kylo and Kei to glance at the officer in front of him.

“There’s an anomaly regarding the villagers and your attention is requested.” Hux rotated his neck, feeling a headache coming on. “Let’s make this quick,” He snapped. He chanced one more glance behind him to where Ren towered above Kei, the two of them speaking in low tones. 

That was…not fine. It would be dealt with next.

The anomaly was, apparently, the village’s children.

Or the lack thereof. 

The village held no one under the age of 17 years. 

The only way a village of this size could have cleared out ALL of the children was if they had been given ample time.

That warning shot would not have been enough.

Which meant only one thing.

There was a spy.

“Wonderful,” Hux sighed, rubbing the crease between his eyebrows. “Because this raid isn’t going horribly enough.” What to do? 

“Where are the villagers?” 

“this way.” 

* * *

Hux considered the group before him, keeping his attention on the unspoken leader, a woman with dark hair and fire in her eyes. 

“Where are they?” He asked. She spat at him.

Luckily Hux had done this enough times, and was a safe distance away. 

He quirked an eyebrow. “Where are they?” He asked again.

He always asked twice. Everyone deserved a second chance. 

He would not ask a third.

“Where you will never find them,” The woman said, victory in her tone. 

Hux shook his head slowly. “You haven’t won,” He said caustically. “You’ve only delayed the inevitable. We will find them. And should they choose rebellion over surrender, we will terminate them.” Hux paused. “Just like this.” 

He waved a finger and the troopers began to fire, a volley of bullets.

None of the villagers screamed. The barrage of gunshots was unaccompanied by the voice of the dying, and it was…unsettling.

More so than usual.

Hux pursed his lips. And then he turned back towards the ship.

He paused mid-swing at the sight of Ren.

The man marched towards what could only be the resistance pilot, and keeping in step with him was – 

Kei. 

Hux internally cursed the day he’d ever met Kylo Ren.

And then he marched towards the duo.

* * *

Poe was – well okay, Poe was…

Okay this wasn’t ideal. And Poe fell back into instinct when he was off-kilter. 

And that instinct was sarcasm.

“What, you talk first, I talk first?” He checked. He focused on the guy in the helmet. 

Kylo Ren.

A quick glance showed the obvious signs of a First Order Raid, but.

Well the woman was new.

She was gorgeous, dressed like royalty and standing out like a sore thumb in her velvet garb and perfectly styled curls. 

There was no disgust in her gaze when she looked at him, nor fear.

Curiosity was there in spades, but her expression was almost…warm.

Poe wrenched his eyes away from the woman, praying that Kwyn had caught up with BB and they were long gone.

Ren tilted his head slightly.

“What do you think?” He asked, speaking to the woman.

“He doesn’t have it on him,” She said confidently. “He stored it, either somewhere in this village or with an associate of his. Most likely the latter.” 

“I agree.” Ren rose. “Put him on board.” 

Two troopers grabbed at his arms and hauled him upright, and even though he was being taken captive, something Kwyn had very EXPRESSLY told him not to do, at least he got a show.

That particular show being a General with bright red hair – the infamous Hux – storming towards them, arm outstretched. The woman hopped towards him cheerfully and grasped his hand and the General pulled the woman to him until she was tucked closely against his side.

He snarled at Ren and then dragged the woman towards the ship. 

“First the missing children and the defiant villagers, and then you leaving the ship without express permission,” He ranted.

“I was perfectly safe,” She promised. 

“You were perfectly safe on the SHIP,” He snapped. “You will be the death of me.” 

“I hope not. I quite like you living.” She teased towards the uptight general. 

He paused for only a short moment to shoot her a serious look.

“Then stay where you will be SAFE,” He said exasperated.

The woman just grinned.

And then she glanced back at him – and winked.

Poe frowned.

Who was this woman, exactly? 

* * *

Who was the spy? 

Kylo breathed in and out slowly.

The missing children were an issue, but really, it was HUX’s issue. A spy on ship delivering secret intel to the enemy wasn’t ideal, but Kylo’s job was finding Skywalker. So he should be dealing with the resistance pilot.

Poe Dameron.

Instead, Kylo was fighting with this instinct that he should be worried about the spy. 

Kylo cared about exactly three things in this moment, and none of them were the spy. He cared about locating the missing piece of the map, finding skywalker, and -.

Well. Perhaps one of them WAS the spy.

Kylo hissed, ignoring the part of him that clenched at the potential betrayal. Instead, he focused on the rage.

“I will deal with the spy,” He said to the room at large.

And then he went to find Hux’s fiancé before the General could stop him.

* * *

Kylo burst into the quarters that Hux had commandeered for his future wife to find her curled up on the settee, legs curled under her, book in hand.

She set the book down at his entrance, eyebrows raised.

“Is everything alright?” She asked, and Kylo growled.

“Explain yourself,” He demanded. 

“Regarding what?” She asked. 

“The. Children.” He snapped. “I saw you smile when you were told of their absence.” 

She nodded, eyes wide as if she were waiting for him to continue speaking. When she didn’t, a smile flit over her face.

And it wasn’t disarming. (It WASN’T.) 

“I am assuming you have further evidence,” She surmised. “For a genteel woman would hardly shed a tear for missing the massacre of children.”   
Kylo opened his mouth, then shut it.

“You are the newest addition to the ship.” He stopped again, and she nodded slowly, the corners of her mouth tilting up. 

“Yes,” She agreed. “I’m going to read between the lines here, and guess you’re really arguing that I was unvetted by you.” She shook her head. “So go ahead. Vet me.” 

Kylo inhaled sharply.

“You are loyal to the cause?” He asked inhaling slowly to better use the force to gauge her truthfulness.

He would know if she lied. 

“I am nothing BUT loyal,” She corrected, rising slowly. “My loyalty is unwavering, unchanging. There is nothing and no one who could force me to switch to the other cause. My belief in the cause I stand behind is forged in fire, bound in blood. Everything I do is for the cause, even to my own personal detriment.” She spoke with fervor, and Kylo didn’t have to read her to know she spoke the truth. He was relieved…but he had to be sure.

He raised his arm to press further – and it was roughly shoved back to his side.

Hux stood before him, eyes blazing, hair in disarray, right in the path between Kylo and Kei. 

“Don’t even think about it,” He hissed. 

Kylo was silent for a moment.

“Very well.” He said. “If you will not let me see her intentions, I will see her actions.” He glanced towards Hux’s fiancé. “Come with me.” He held out his hand. 

Hux snarled but the noise halted when Kei grabbed his forearm. “It’s fine,” She said lightly. “He’s not going to eat me.” 

“That remains to be seen,” Kylo said stiffly, and she shot him a bright grin. She stepped away from Hux and took his hand, and he led her towards the interrogation room. 

He’d intended to interrogate the pilot himself…but it would be beneficial to see if she was capable of using the force.

And if she shared the right intel – he could trust her. 

Two birds. One stone.

* * *

“I had no idea we had the best pilot in the resistance on board.” Poe winced as he turned his head to look at Ren, pausing, once again, on the woman at his side. 

“Hello ma’am,” He slurred, “Poe Dameron, At your service.” 

“Do not speak to her,” Ren snapped, and the woman tilted her head. 

“While his sanity is certainly under question, you can’t fault the man his manners.” She said lightly, and Ren ignored her, so Poe ignored HIM.

“What’s a nice girl like you doing in a place like this?” He asked, and she smiled.

“Learning. Or I assume I will be, at some point.” She shot Ren a look, and he continued to ignored her.

“Comfortable?” He asked.

“Not really,” Poe said truthfully, and the woman smiled again. Ren tilted his head. 

“I’m impressed – no one has been able to get out of you what you did with that map.” He held out his hand and the woman obeyed his unspoken request immediately and moved forward and placed hers in its grip. He flipped her hand over, ran his fingers over her palm, flipped it again, then repeated the gesture with the back of her hand.

Poe had a great retort in his head that flew away at the sight.

“Did I interrupt date night?” He checked, and Ren glanced up sharply. He spread her fingers and raised her palms.

“Do what I told you,” He ordered, and she closed her eyes, eyebrow furrowing.

Poe frowned…and then he felt it. What…his eyes widened and the pull in his chest – in his head – grew sharp.

“Where is it.” It wasn’t a question, it was a demand. 

Poe looked first at the woman, who stared at him with an inscrutable expression. Then he glanced at Ren, and his resolve deepened. 

“The resistance will not be intimidated by you.” He said with all the defiance he could muster. 

There was a tone of impatience when he asked again, his grip tight on her wrist.

“More,” He told her, and she made a face. 

Poe grunted in pain. It was intense. And then it became unbearable.

“A droid,” She said suddenly, before it became too much. “A BB unit. He gave the piece to a droid.” Poe sagged in pain. This was…not ideal.  
Ren was silent.

Then… “Excellent work.” 

He escorted the woman out of the room and when they were gone, Poe smacked his head against the back of his torture device.

Stupid.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A sneak peek of our second new character and more intel on the first! Kylo's not as good of a teacher as he thinks he is, but we won't tell him for now.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Both BB-8 and Chewie translations are in italics. They're doing their respective noises for anyone who can't understand them (and if they're only in the presence of people who can't understand them I won't translate.) But both Han (and the OC, hint hint) can speak wookie, so. ITALIC TRANSLATIONS.
> 
> We're introducing a new OC this chapter, plus some confusing info on one OC, and a confirmation of skillz (the force kind) of another OC. 
> 
> My name is what my name is intentionally, y'all. Enjoy!

Han whooped loudly as they finally got a beat on the Falcon, and the woman at his side smirked at him. Chewie trilled.

“That would have taken me a hell of a lot longer had you not stopped by,” He admitted readily, and one of the last remaining Solo’s laughed from her perch in the co-pilot’s chair.

“Obviously, Uncle. But you know I have to ask.” Han internally groaned.

Of course she had to ask.

“What’s with this hunk of junk that’s got you blasting through the galaxies? In the middle of a job?” One of the two creatures held down below made a loud angry noise, and the blonde woman with her hair in two long braids down her back raised her eyebrows.

“You wouldn’t understand, you don’t have any attachments.”

“On purpose,” She snorted. “It’s a smart way to live, Uncle.”

 _“Lonely”_ Chewie pointed out, and Han raised a finger in warning at his Wookie.

“Says the oldest smugglers in the galaxy.” She complained. “Is this ship really that big of a deal?”

And if it wasn’t his niece asking, Han would have blown her off.

But Laina, called Lo by everyone who knew her, was the only blood family currently speaking to him, the only blood family who called herself a Solo.

She had had a weird life, taken in by a Mandalorian and his young daughter when her parents were brutally murdered and Han was unavailable, trained as a Jedi at Luke’s school until she decided NOT to be a Jedi and left, perfectly timed as to quit and leave days before the fire and – everything else that had happened.

She disappeared for a few years, most likely hiding from the repercussions of that fire and reappeared as a well-known smuggler who worked closely with her Mandalorian adopted father, and she kept close tabs on Han and Chewie.

He loved the crap outta her, (but he’d never say it.) She came and went without rhyme or reason, but Han always left a seat for her.

She’d shown up a few hours ago, said she’d gotten a read on the Falcon, and there it was.

Jakku.

“I’ll help you pick it up,” She said firmly. “Then Auntie wants me to peek in.” Han grumbled at that and she grinned.

“You could come with me,” She teased, and he rolled his eyes.

“You know she doesn’t want to see me.”

“I KNOW you’re a stubborn ass.” She smacked a kiss against his cheek. “Redirect this thing to Jakku, Uncle. Stop whining.”

Han did as she bade, and Chewie laughed at him.

“Shut it!” He ordered, and like always…Chewie didn’t.

So you know. Things weren’t perfect.

But they weren’t awful.

* * *

Rey stopped mid-step.

What?

She tilted her head at the sight before her.

The teedo scavengers weren’t surprising. What was surprising was their find.

Or finds.

A droid, brightly colored and beeping fretfully.

And a man, tall and lean, head shorn, voice shrill as he attempted extricate himself from the net both droid and man found themselves in.

“I am on a very important MISSION – I am a commander in the RESISTANCE – you can’t treat me like this!”

And his words snapped Rey out of her voyeurism. She slid down the hill and snapped a few words out at the scavengers, arguing with them for only a few moments before they moved on, grumbling – sans man and droid.

“Thanks,” The man said as he scrambled upright, limbs flailing as if he’d only just remembered how they worked. “Were they going to harvest my organs?”

Rey squinted.

“Unclear,” She admitted. “They’re just Teedo scavengers. No respect for anyone.” The man nodded slowly, and he was distracting to look at, so Rey directed her gaze to the droid.

“Your antennae is bent,” She said, kneeling down and fixing it for him. She rose and glanced back at the man. “And your hair…”

The man smiled bashfully and fluffed his ends.

Rey smiled back hesitantly. “Are you, are you really with the resistance?”

The man beamed, chest puffing out. “Joined the day I turned 21.”

Which was what, a week ago?

 _Good fighter. Good friend,_ The droid beeped helpfully, and Rey slanted a glance towards the man.

He’d be eaten alive out here.

“Town’s that way,” She pointed. She nodded curtly, once, and the man’s face fell.

“Whoa wait – where do you live? Can we crash with you? Honestly ma’am, I’m beat. And the droid could use a break. I’m Kwyn, or Commander Arkk, if anyone else asks. This is BB-8.”

 _Hello friend! I like you! Can we come home with you?_ Rey huffed. Her place wasn’t…well. There’d been no one else there in…ever.

“I’ll pay you for the lodging!” Kwyn said quickly, pulling out – actual payment.

A lucrative amount. “If you’ll give us shelter for the night and help us find a place to get a ship in the morning," he bargained, wiggling the bag in his palm.

Rey opened her mouth. And then she sideeyed the payment, and rubbed the back of her neck.

“Fine,” She agreed curtly. “But no funny business, or I’ll put you RIGHT out.”

Kwyn beamed and nodded in agreement, falling into step with her.

“What’s your name?” He asked.

“I am Rey,” She introduced, and he grabbed her hand and shook it.

“Well it’s nice to meet you Rey! I gotta admit, it has been a DAY. I have never seen so much sand in my LIFE. Did you know that,” Rey smiled slightly, intrigued despite herself by the talkative man at her side.

If nothing else, she was getting paid. And the stories were…well, the noise was welcome.

More than.

* * *

FN-2187 paused in the doorway and took a deep breath. There were no other options. He had to run.

If he stayed here, reprogramming would kill him.

He just…he knew it, somehow.

But…he couldn’t do it.

He froze when he heard footsteps, inhaling sharply when the figure that turned the corner was the beautiful woman dressed more extravagantly than he’d ever seen.

The General’s fiancé, who many had been gossiping about in hushed whispers.

Too beautiful, too kind to be forced to spend their life with such a monster.

And she’d somehow caught the eye of the Commander.

Many had bets on what would happen next.

FN-2187 had just hoped he would never run into her.

The woman paused, staring at him as if she could see through him, straight to his soul.

“Ma’am,” He said, inclining his head, and she nodded in greeting.

“Whatever you’re thinking about,” She said wryly. “I would do it quickly.” She moved past him and smiled genially at the guards standing watch outside the prisoner’s door.

“Don’t you have somewhere else to be?” She asked them, and they straightened.

“We do have somewhere else to be.” They nodded sharply, the pair of them at her. She waited for them to pass, leaving the hallway empty, before winking at him, and walking in the opposite direction as they.

It took a minute to kick himself into gear after that, shocked by what had happened.

* * *

Well this was working out MUCH better than expected. But really, who WOULD have suspected that a Trooper would go rogue and rescue him for his own selfish gain?

Poe regained his footing to better follow after the trooper when a woman paused in front of them, about a dozen feet away, standing at a T in the hall.

She raised her eyebrows at them.

The woman. The one who had been with Hux, and with Ren.

And Poe was still trying to figure that one out in his head.

She glanced to either side of her, chin tilting haughtily. “You,” She said sharply, looking down one of the hallways. “Come with me.” She flicked one of her hands, held low at her hip, in the opposite direction. And then she was gone.

Poe glanced at the Trooper who glanced back at him.

Ah hell, what would it hurt.

* * *

The exploding ejection from the TIE fighter hurt like hell, Poe groaned as he rose to a standing position.

Where the hell was he? Where was Finn?

It was as he was rubbing the back of his head that it hit him.

The woman.

The one Hux had fret about and Ren had been teaching the Force. The one with free reign of enemy territory.

He KNEW her.

Kinslei.

* * *

“You have something for me today, Scavenger?” Unker leered, glancing past both Rey and Kwyn towards the droid.

_Oh dear._

“Not today,” Rey said with satisfaction. She didn’t need his food, she could pay for her own, now. “This traveler needs a ship.”

“And I WANT that one.” Kwyn pointed, and Rey followed his finger to wrinkle his nose.

“That piece of junk?”

Kwyn, for some reason, seemed mortally offended.

“If you knew what I knew,” He said seriously, “You would bite your tongue.”

“It’s a relic,” Unkar snapped, straightening suddenly in greed. “Vintage.” The price he named was ludicrous.

“I’ll take it!” Kwyn snapped with ease, like he had all the money in the world. Rey shot the droid a look.

The droid didn’t answer in word, just a series of beeps that was the human version of a confused shrug.

Unkar was thrilled with the purchase and Kwyn asked Rey to keep an eye on the droid while he inspected his purchase, which she nodded in agreement to.

They were halfway back to her ride when Unkar’s goons struck, aiming to take the droid by force.

She took care of them easily.

And then the droid was beeping painfully about a thief with his master’s jacket.

And then…well then everything got crazy after that.

Luckily Kwyn was already waiting at a ship, which made their escape much simpler than it could’ve been.

* * *

Kylo wasn’t happy, and the trembling officer behind him wasn’t helping.

“It seems that,” the officer said hesitantly, pausing, and Kylo’s spine tightened.

Any more bad news and he’d LOSE IT.

“Commander,” A voice piped in and Kylo turned.

“I’m sorry,” Kei continued, glancing towards the officer, who had the audacity to slump in relief. “I’m interrupting. I can come back.”

“He was just delivering bad news,” Kylo said stiffly. “Apparently the escape of Dameron and the loss of the droid was not failure enough.”

“Oh – you mean the guard detail the droid picked up overnight.” She said wisely, and Kylo turned to face her.

She paused, slid her gaze to the Officer standing beside her. “You didn’t get to that part?” She guessed.

“No ma’am,” He said meekly.

She grimaced and jerked her head slightly and the officer took the cop-out to flee.

Kylo wanted to rage.

Instead, he grabbed Kei’s hand and dragged her out of the room.

“What. Guard. Detail?” He moved quickly, and Kei only kept up via the vice grip she had on his hand. 

“Two men and a woman were seen fleeing with the droid." She explained as they walked through the halls. "Reports say none of them were Dameron, but the runner was there.”

“The other man and woman?”

“They arrived at base together this morning with the droid, then left with it, and the runner,” She said. “Didn’t you read the reports?”

Kylo shoved her into his quarters and shut the door, taking off his mask once they were alone. He turned to face her and paused at the expression on her face.

“I,” She shook her head. “Sorry. What?”

“I don’t read reports,” He said impatiently, ignoring the thrill he got from her reaction to his face. “There’s no idea who this man and woman are?”

“I don’t recognize them. But Armi,” He shot her a look and she grinned.

“General Hux,” She corrected, “Was smart enough to have the troopers grab a witness and I convinced him to draw some sketches.”

“Hux is a closet artist,” He mused, filing that information away to use against the General later. He went silent as he glanced through the sketches she handed over, grimacing at the first drawing, the one of the traitor.

The second he took a long pause at – the picture of the woman caught his attention in a way that was – surprising. He wasn’t taken by her looks, not when – well anyway. But there WAS something about the girl. She would mean something later. He could feel it. Remembering his secondary task, the one he was still fleshing out, he held out the photo towards Kei.

“What do you see?” He asked.

She pursed her lips. “A scavenger. Young. Capable, obviously, most likely orphaned, knowing Jakku.”

“What do you feel?” He asked, and she let out a huff of air, but furrowed her eyebrows.

Concentrating.

No matter what flippant task he ordered of her, she reacted instantly, obeyed immediately.

Her mouth tightened the longer she considered the photo, her gaze going wary. “Something.” She said.

“Explain,” He urged.

“Something…I don’t know, something. It can – it can go either way, but it’s powerful. It wavers. It’s…young. Teachable. Tameable.” She glanced up at him with wide eyes. “Is…Is she like us? Like you?”

Kylo paused at the “Us”. It was – companionable.

“Perhaps,” He said. “We shall have to retrieve her to make sure.” He took another glance at the picture before moving it to the bottom and flipping to the third photo. At the charcoal likeness, Kylo considered it for only a moment before he let out a vocal noise of rage. The paper crinkled in his fists, and then ripped under his ministrations.

“Do we have a search out for them?” He bit out.

Kei stepped forward at his anger, when most would step away.

“Yes,” She said. “Armi – Hux – ordered one immediately.” She didn’t ask why, but Kylo told her anyway.

“This man – I know him.” Kylo glared at the image of a man he hadn’t seen in 14 years.

“He is a Jedi.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OH HO HO WE HAVE A NAME FOR OUR STRANGELY HELPFUL LADY FRIEND. All the questions about her, I know. All will be revealed eventually.
> 
> And you met a new OC: Laina Solo (Lo). And the first confirmations for our secret Jedi! (Obviously there's more running around, but we now for sure got Laina the drop-out and KWYN, who Kylo actually recognized! 
> 
> Obvs. we got some backstory on the way then, which is exciting. Next chapter up soon!
> 
> I love you all.


End file.
